(no subject)

[everose.livejournal.com]

When you all rent cars to get out of town for the weekend, where do you rent them from?

Comments

[inahandbasket]

enterprise

[ron_newman]

since they're no longer in Davis Square, you'll have to use the one in Central Square (right off the Red Line) or Arlington (short walk from #77 bus). But, they'll pick you up, right?

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

or Assembly Square.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

There are also two on Mystic Ave (One is right near where Harvard Street meets Mystic Ave, and the other is fairly close to Sullivan Station).

[lac.livejournal.com]

A couple of places...either the Alamo/Enterprise on Mass Ave (we use this one most often).
There's one in the Charles Hotel we use sometimes as well. I think it's Avis
And if we need to pick up/drop off at weird times...the airport is still the best for that.

[ron_newman]

i don't think alamo is combined with enterprise

there's a thrifty rent-a-car at the Harvard Square hotel

[lac.livejournal.com]

Highly likely. It could actually be an Alamo/National...but it is on Mass Ave right outside Harvard, next to Cambridge Common.

The ball and chain does most of the renting since I don't drive.

[horchatafiend.livejournal.com]

I've rented from U-save between Union and Inman square. They were the cheapest I found and they were very good - I haven't checked prices recently so may not be the case now. Not exactly T accesible but it was worth it for the price.

U-Save Auto & Truck Rental: Somerville
70 Prospect St
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 628-8800

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

Zipcar.

[ad-lib.livejournal.com]

doesn't that end up being more expensive than a normal rental?

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

How much does the insurance cost you on a daily rental if you don't have any other collision/liability coverage?

[gookalockgeek.livejournal.com]

Zipcar pays for your gas, so it can balance out.

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

Quite possibly. The simplicity and hassle-free nature of reserving on the web and then sauntering over to a car a couple blocks away and driving off makes up the difference for me.

Also, as noted below, all costs are included up-front with Zipcar. I'm generally unable to figure out in advance how much a conventional rental would actually cost me.

[liza.livejournal.com]

I agree. You also know exactly what kind of car you're getting, as opposed to the time I "reserved" a fuel-efficient economy car and the rental place said, "Well, we only have a minivan."

[xthlcm.livejournal.com]

I usually rent from an airport place; on average they're much cheaper than their in-town counterparts.

[ron_newman]

That would surprise me, since airport rentals are subject to extra taxes.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

Over a weekend I don't think they are. I know that with Enterprise, probably because they are closed on Sundays, you basically get Saturday/Sunday for the same amount as a single weekday, whereas at the airport there is not such weekend discount.

[xthlcm.livejournal.com]

*shrug*

I consistently find a better rate from airport rental places, including Enterprise. I mostly rent over weekends to visit family up in Maine. Two weeks ago we took a 4-day weekend and went skiing; I saved $60 by going with the airport Hertz (they're more expensive than Enterprise, but we needed a ski rack) instead of the other ones in Cambridge.

As an example: I just went to Enterprise.com to look up rates for an economy car for next weekend. If I get it from the Enterprise on River St. in Cambridge, I pay $40 / day. If I get it from the airport Enterprise, I get $16.24 a day.

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

I tried to rent a car and was told I couldn't because I had a debit-type credit card as opposed to a real credit card, because if I destroyed the car, they couldn't be sure that they could recoup the expenses from me with a debit card linked to my checking account. even if I got their total-the-car-and-it's-covered insurance.

wtf.

the terrorists have won if you can't pay for anything with actual money anymore.

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

thankfully, I just need a few hundred more bucks and I can re-register my own car.

[ad-lib.livejournal.com]

weird, i've never had that issue and thats the only type of card i have. they totally lied. :P

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

it might depend on the company, or perhaps even the particular store.

[agharta75.livejournal.com]

www.hotwire.com gives discounted rates on Avis and Hertz cars. You have to pay in advance and rates vary from week to week depending on what's available. They take debit cards.

Enterprise Weekend Specials...

[omacg.livejournal.com]

In the non summer months I was quite often able to find a $10 per day deal on their website for the weekend. ($30 not including insurance from Friday Evening to Monday Evening). It was NEVER available by calling the local office and it would sometimes be available even when they had no cars left and would result in the employees scrambling all over to find one (which they always did).

I have always found off airport cheaper and when not traveling for work will take a shuttle to my hotel and arrange for Enterprise to pick me up there to avoid the airport fee that is probably paying for a baseball/hockey/football stadium in the vicinity!

I only support local teams!
O.